I Can Wait Forever
by Emotive Gothika
Summary: Both of them have been waiting. Can they wait a little bit longer? SasuNaru oneshot


**Warning:** Mild language, yaoi, spoilers for those who haven't seen how Sasuke and Itachi resolved their conflict, and Sasuke rambling ^.^

**Pairing**: Sasuke x Naruto

**Soundtrack**: I Can Wait Forever by Simple Plan

**A/N:** I love this song and makes me cry on the inside. It's kinda sad and it really makes me think about Sasuke and Naruto. Originally I wanted this to be a songfic, but I decided against it since it was going to be long. And also, it's mostly from Sasuke's POV... so... yeah. R&R peoplz!

_**::: The Conversation :::**_

_It was a peaceful day today in Konoha as Naruto stared out the open window of his apartment, the gentle breeze blowing through his sun-kissed hair and moving it ever so slighty. The sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky and it was like it brought hope to everyone's hearts, at least in the blond's eyes. As quietly as he could, Sasuke stepped inside the room and watched the blond with a small smile on his face as he leaned against the wall a little way away._

_How beautiful Naruto look with his bright hair and innocent face that sported those wide cerulean eyes. At first glance, Naruto was nothing special to look at, but once you got a closer look, you can so those tiny perfections. That flawless tan skin, an ocean of light brown, the whisker marks on his cheeks that were like deep grooves of wisdom, the way his eyes would sparkle with happiness or even with sadness. But what Sasuke liked the most about Naruto was his lips. Those luscious pink lips that were so delicious to kiss and nip at._

_"What're you doing dobe?" Sasuke asked suddenly, making the blond jump and the brunet smirked._

_"Oh Sasuke, it's just you," Naruto said, heaving a sigh of relief and grinning at the brunet. "I thought for a moment that you were someone else."_

_Sasuke chuckled softly and he walked over to Naruto, leaning close to the blond so their faces were only inches apart._

_"Who did you think would be here at this time of day?" the Uchiha asked and he smirked when he saw Naruto's face flush._

_"I-I don't know," the blond said, looking anywhere besides the Uchiha. "I just thought you were someone else. Is that so wrong?"_

_Sasuke's smirk grew. "Yes," he said, grabbing Naruto and bringing the blond close. "Because it meant you weren't thinking about me."_

_Naruto's face flushed deeper at their close contact, but he didn't push himself away._

_"I was..." he mumbled._

_"Hm?" Sasuke said, leaning even closer to Naruto, their lips close to touching._

_"I-I was thinking about you," Naruto said, eyes wide as he stared at Sasuke's lips. Apparently the two shared the same idea._

_"And why were you thinking about me, koi?" Sasuke murmured, his voice just enough to make Naruto melt into a puddle._

_"B-Because, I was k-kinda worried," Naruto said, not only embarrassed but also feeling a slight pang of sadness at his thoughts. "I-I was worried about us. What would people say if they found out about us?"_

_Sasuke frowned a little. The question kind of ruined the mood, but not too much. Naruto gave him a slightly feared look, seeing Sasuke's frown, but then Sasuke leaned forward and captured the blond's lips with his own, taking the blond by surprise. Naruto's jaw went slack at the sudden attack, much to Sasuke's delight, and the brunet shot his tongue into the blond's inviting mouth, exploring Naruto's warm cavern and lapping at the blond's tongue playfully._

_With a slight moan, Naruto returned the kiss and the two stood there, faces together and mixing saliva until they broke apart a couple seconds later, gasping for air._

_"Wha-What was that for?" Naruto asked in between gasps, face red as a tomato._

_Sasuke took a deep breath to calm himself down before smiling down at the blond._

_"Who cares?" he said and Naruto gave him a confused look this time. "Who cares about what other people think?" Sasuke elaborated. "I don't give a damn and you shouldn't either. You didn't give a damn about the villagers calling you demon and all that, so why should you care about what they say about us?"_

_Naruto puckered his lips in a slight pout and Sasuke felt his heart race. The blond looked so cute that way._

_"I'm sorry," Naruto said, looking at the ground. "But, I don't think I can bear it if people shunned us for being together."_

_Sasuke looked down at his koi, a familiar bout of negative emotion piercing his heart. Ever since they were children, the Uchiha had nursed a soft spot for the blond, but it was only recently, just after their mission from the Country of the Waves a couple months ago, that Sasuke finally confessed his true feelings. Imagine his surprise when he found out that Naruto felt the same way about him. They hit it off right away._

_But still..._

_Sasuke brought his hands up to Naruto's face and gently lifted the blond's head up so their eyes would meet._

_"Then I'll wait for you, until you're ready," he said softly, obsidian eyes locked onto cerulean ones. "Even if it takes forever, I'll wait for you. We can both pursue our goals, we can be rivals in battle, we can go our separate ways if you want, but I'll wait for you. I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes."_

_Naruto's eyes began to simmer in tears and he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's torso, burying his face in the brunet's chest. Sasuke in turn wrapped his arms around Naruto, his hand softly pressing the blond's head against his chest in comfort._

_"Thank you Sasuke," Sasuke heard Naruto whisper, muffled by his chest._

_**::: His Decision :::**_

Sasuke opened his obsidian eyes, exhaling a breath as he did so. He felt the wind on his face and smelled the salty sea air the ocean had to give. But the salty scent not only came from the ocean, but also from the tears he had shed for his brother, staining his cheeks and burning his eyes.

He was crying for Itachi because he had just watched his aniki die in front of his eyes. How naive Sasuke was, how blind, how stupid not to realize, not to know. But it was also Itachi's fault for not telling him in the first place. The older Uchiha kept that secret from his ototo to protect him, but wouldn't it have been better if the younger knew the truth from the start? Wouldn't that have been better, even easier?

And after shedding all the tears he could for his brother, Sasuke remembered that conversation he had with Naruto nearly three years ago. He had almost completely forgotten about that. He knew how devastated and how betrayed Naruto felt when he left, but it was all for the blond's own good. If Naruto got caught up with Sasuke's goals, then that would mean he had to let go of his own goals. Sasuke didn't want that. He wanted Naruto to live normally, to pursue his goals without Sasuke holding him back. It ended up as Naruto waiting for Sasuke instead of vice versa.

But how Sasuke wanted to stay. How he desperately wanted to stay with his koi, to just move on and live life the way he originally wanted. Yet Itachi was still there, still alive, and Sasuke couldn't forget that. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't let go. He wanted to hold his goal in one hand and Naruto in the other, but he had eventually let go of Naruto... or so he thought.

His years with Orochimaru proved extremely difficult. The training was nothing compared to the empty feeling he felt every time he lay in his bed, desperately wanting to see Naruto, missing waking up next to the blond and seeing his face first thing in the morning. Whenever he had a serious injury, or even just had an ache or pain somewhere in his body, imagining Naruto there by his side, urging him to go on, his blue eyes lighting up as he grinned that fox grin of his, made everything feel better. Yet the Uchiha wasn't content with just his imagination. He wanted to see Naruto's blue eyes with his own, wanted to feel that tanned skin, that mop of sun-kissed hair, those soft pink kissable lips with his own body, in reality, not in his mind.

Then, two and a half years post his leave from Konoha, Sasuke saw Naruto again. How handsome Naruto looked; more mature, more serious, but still fun-loving and kind and cheerful. Sasuke could tell just by looking at Naruto. Even though the blond's body was different, even though those cerulean eyes harbored more wisdom, he could tell that Naruto's personality hasn't really changed. Yet, even though Sasuke felt happy to see his koi again, they had to fight. How it pained the Uchiha to hurt Naruto not just mentally, but physically too. To send those electric charges through the blond's body was like sending electrical charges through his own body. He felt the pain Naruto felt, but he had to hide it, bury it deep inside.

He hoped that he wouldn't see Naruto again, but his prayers weren't answered for he met Naruto more then once after that. It still pained him to see the blond's hurt-filled eyes look at him, wondering why, what did he do wrong, was he not good enough? Sasuke wished he could answer those questions, but he just lifted his blade and sliced through every obstacle that came his way, including Naruto, be it a kage bunshin or not. But each swing of the blade was another cut to Sasuke's already bleeding heart.

And then, his fight with Itachi commenced. Finally, after eight long years of training and sacrifice, it all came down to that one battle. Uchiha versus Uchiha, brother versus brother, sharingan versus sharingan. It was like the clash of the titans. And as quickly as it began, it ended, with just seven words, a poke to the forehead, and a long withheld smile.

_"Sorry Sasuke... This is the last time..."_

Sasuke felt like he was being ripped in two at that. His mind was just a jumble of memories and questions and various emotions. He couldn't make out what's what and who's who and where's where. He just layed there, staring at a dark ceiling, playing and rewinding and playing that battle in his mind over and over and over again, shocked at the outcome, at the the truth.

And now, here he was. Standing on a rock at the beach, watching the sunrise and listening to the waves crashing onto the shore. Remembering all those things made Sasuke's heart want to burst from his chest. It made him want to cry again, but the thought of Naruto waiting for so long made him hold back his tears. Screw the truth about the Uchiha clan, screw the Akatsuki, and screw himself. There was something more important that he had to make right.

_Not yet. Just wait a little bit longer koi, just a little bit longer._

"Sasuke," said a voice and Sasuke slowly turned his head around to see Madara standing on the sand below him, Jagon, Suigetsu, and Karin standing behind the masked Uchiha. "Have you come to a decision?"

Sasuke didn't answer immediately. He slowly turned his head back towards the sunrise, relishing the moment and hoping against all hope that Naruto was still waiting for him. The sun always reminded Sasuke of Naruto. A beacon of hope, a shining light in the darkness. But why was it at sunset, you can look directly at the sun, but never at any other time of day?

"Sasuke?" Madara said again, snapping Sasuke out of his mental ramblings.

"... Yes..." Sasuke said, his voice close to hoarse but still clear enough to hear.

"And?" Madara asked, sounding a bit eager.

"... No..." Sasuke said, not turning around.

"No?" Madara said, now sounding surprised.

"No," Sasuke repeated, giving the sunrise a lingering look before turning around and looking down at Madara and former Team Hebi. "Someone has been waiting forever for me, and I don't intend on making him wait any longer."

And at those words, Sasuke disappeared in a burst of fire.

_**::: Taking Action :::**_

_I hope I make it. I hope he's there. I hope he's still waiting._

Sasuke rushed through the treetops as fast as he could possibly go, which was faster then most ordinary ninja. He didn't know how long he had been running, he didn't know what time it was in the day nor did he care. He just wanted to get to Konoha as fast as his fucking excuse for feet could carry him.

All he could see was the green blurs of the trees as he rushed by like light. Sasuke reached into his pack and took out a soldier pill, replenishing his energy as he chewed on it. He had only just healed from his injuries attained from fighting Itachi and his normal chakra levels weren't up and running yet, but his supply of soldier pills should last until he gets to Konoha.

Which he didn't know when.

Sweat ran down Sasuke's brow and into his eye, but the brunet just impatiently blinked it away, his focus solely on arriving to Konoha ASAP.

And to his great relief and utter surprise, the main gate of Konoha loomed in the distance, looking so welcoming yet foreboding. Sasuke knew that he couldn't just stroll into the ninja village, but he didn't plan on strolling. He planned on just rushing in, like the blond did on so many missions.

Sasuke zipped past the guard station, not caring if the guards recognized him as he passed or if the wind he created was strong enough to blast people off their feet. But since he was in the village, he had to slow down, which irritated him. He slowed down to a quick jog, eyes scanning the village crowd for that mop of sun-kissed hair. Passerby stared at him, probably recognizing him, but Sasuke didn't care. He had more important things on his mind right now, eyes scanning the crowd like no tomorrow.

There! Blond hair!

Sasuke angrily pushed himself through the crowd and reached out to grab the shoulder whose blond head belonged to, but it was only Yamanaka Ino, her aquamarine eyes growing as wide as dinner plates when she saw who grabbed her.

"Sa-Sa-Sa-Sasuke-k-k-kun?!" she cried, her mouth opening and closing in a fine imitation of a goldfish.

Sasuke swore loudly at his bad luck, (and how stupid he was not to notice the long ponytail) then he shook Ino slightly to make her snap out of her trance and assure her that it wasn't a dream.

"Ino, where's Naruto?" he asked urgently.

"Na-Naruto?" Ino said, still so stunned by Sasuke's sudden return to the village.

"Yes, Naruto!" Sasuke said urgently. "Blond spikey hair, blue eyes, the one I call dobe!"

"Uh, um, he's probably at the training fields," Ino said, shaking her head a bit. "Everyone's there also and -"

Sasuke didn't hear the rest of Ino's sentence for he jump onto a nearby rooftop a second later and headed straight for the training fields, knowing exactly which field to go to. He could vaguely hear Ino call out his name, but he didn't care.

Naruto was the only one on his mind right now.

_**::: Meeting Again :::**_

Sasuke arrived at the third training ground, but he stuck to the shadows and scanned the field with his obsidian eyes. Memories of their first drill as Team 7 rushed into his mind and also of the aftermath wherein he and Naruto hung out together that night, though nothing really happened for Sasuke didn't tell Naruto of his feelings at that time. More memories him of being with Naruto flew by in Sasuke's mind, fleeting but relishing, and Sasuke's heart began to beat twice as fast, either in anticipation or nervousness.

He was so close now. So very close.

There, he spotted them! Everyone really was there! The former Rookie 9 (now eight with the absence of Sasuke), Team Gai, the senseis, even Tsunade and Shizune. And Naruto, who was standing alone in the middle of the field, staring at the ground with a solemn look on his face. Sasuke's heart skipped a beat seeing Naruto that way. Was he thinking about Sasuke? Was he sad because Sasuke wasn't there by his side?

Why everyone was there, Sasuke didn't know. Maybe it was some sort of meeting where they brainstormed on how to get Sasuke back to Konoha. But they didn't really need to for Sasuke was standing right there, hiding in the shadows of the trees.

Before Sasuke could make a move, a couple of ANBU appeared in front of Tsunade, bowing to her as they reported. Sasuke knew that it was him they were talking about. He could see Tsunade's eyes go wide at the news. He knew that she was going to reveal the news of him being in Konoha to the others. But he didn't want that. He wanted to see Naruto's surprise with his own eyes. He didn't want the blond to get the news from another source that wasn't Sasuke himself.

Sasuke disappeared from his spot beneath the trees only to reappear a couple feet in front of Naruto. He could vaguely see the other's surprise at him just suddenly appearing, but all the Uchiha could see now was Naruto, who slowly looked up at him as his cerulean eyes went wide. The two stared at each other for a moment, Naruto's face showing his surprise while Sasuke tried his best to show the emotion on his face but found it difficult for his mind was just a blank. The others there seemed rooted in their spot, now knowing what to do, but they slowly reached for the kunais in their packs, just in case.

Sasuke reached for his chokuto with a slightly shaking hand. The others saw the action and were about to charge at the Uchiha, if it wasn't for said Uchiha removing the chokuto from his belt and tossing it aside like it was just trash. They stopped in their tracks, mouths extending to the ground and eyes about to pop out of their heads in shock. Sasuke disregarded them.

Naruto was shaking, Sasuke could see that. The blond opened and closed his mouth for a moment, as though not sure on what to say, but eventually, only one word came from his mouth.

"Sa... Sasuke?" the blond said, his eyes shining with hope and sadness.

That was all Sasuke needed. In a few strides, he went up to Naruto, hands reaching up to the blond's face as he leaned in and forced their lips together. He felt Naruto's body tense for a moment at the sudden attack (and probably at the rush of memories at how many times Sasuke surprised him with a kiss) but he relaxed in the next moment, eyes fluttering close and returning the kiss with a slight, almost nonexistent hesitation as he wrapped his arms around the brunet's neck, feeling said brunet's hands snaking down south to grasp Naruto's waist. Both teens could hear the gasps of their friends and the two could probably visualize them with blood gushing out of their nose, but only vaguely for they were getting lost in each other's arms, and in each other's mouths for that matter as their tongues brushed sensually over each other.

Once the two couldn't hold their breath any longer, they broke apart, gasping for fresh air, and they touched foreheads, feeling the other's hot breath on their face.

"... I-I'm sorry, Naruto," Sasuke said, looking at the ground instead of in Naruto's eyes, his vision blurring with tears. "I'm sorry that I made you wait for so long. I'm sorry that I put you through so much pain, while you were chasing after me. I'm so stupid and naive a-a-and - "

Sasuke was cut off by a pair of lips gently pressing on his own. It was a chaste kiss and Sasuke didn't have any time to return it for the lips pulled away a second later.

"You don't need to apologize Sasuke," Naruto said gently, smiling softly at his koibito. "Remember, I'll wait forever if I have to. I may not be that patient of a person, but you, I can wait forever for."

Sasuke smiled at Naruto, his first genuine smile in such a long time, and he leaned in again, lips brushing against Naruto's own pair.

"Well, you don't have to wait any longer, for I'm here now," Sasuke murmured before giving Naruto another kiss.

_**::: It Was Just a Dream :::**_

Sasuke's eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up in his futon, which resulted in a sharp sting of pain almost everywhere in his body. His wounds hasn't fully healed yet, but Sasuke didn't really care for his dream was still etched on his mind.

That dream. He never had a dream like that before. He felt like it was telling him something. Something _extremely_ important.

Was Naruto still waiting for him?

Ignoring the shots of pain throughout his body, Sasuke got up from his futon and grabbed his clothes that were nearby, pulling them on as quickly as he could (which was barely quick because the pain prevented him from moving properly). He then left the cave, chokuto in his hand, determination on his face, and pain attacking his body. Karin, Jugon, Suigetsu, and Madara were at the entrance of the cave, waiting for Sasuke no less. They watched Sasuke stagger towards them, looking weak but strong enough to hold out. The Uchiha noticed that the sun was just rising, just like in his dream.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't be walking around just yet," Madara said, but he made no move to stop the younger Uchiha.

"... Uchiha Madara..." Sasuke said, straightening himself up and ignoring the screaming protests of his ribs. "I have come to a decision."

Beneath his orange mask, Madara raised an eyebrow.

"And?" he asked, trying not to shake with anticipation.

"... And I unregretfully decline," Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing at the masked Uchiha as he disappeared with flames swirling around him, only this time, it was in reality.

Everyone stared at the spot Sasuke previously occupied. Madara was shocked that his plan didn't go quite as well as he had hoped. Former Team Hebi just stared at the spot with their mouths hanging open, shocked that their leader just left them without warning. Then, Suigetsu kicked at the sand beneath his feet in anger.

"That fucking son of a bitch!" he cried into the horizon.

_**::: I Can't Wait Forever :::**_

Sasuke leaned on a tree, gasping desperately for air. He could feel that one of his wounds had opened and the blood leaked out, but not so much. Every appendage, every part of his body stung and ached and screamed with pain as he took another step forward, then another, and another. But Konoha's gate was nearby, so agonizingly close. Madara was right in saying that he shouldn't be moving around so soon, but screw that poor excuse for an Uchiha. He didn't know what Sasuke was feeling at the moment, the urgency that pulsed through the teen's body.

Out of trees to lean on, Sasuke made it to the wall of the gate, breathing raspy and shaking terribly.

_Just a little more... Just a little more..._

Step by step, Sasuke moved annoyingly slow towards the looming gate. Even if he was able to walk through the gate, he still had to get past the guards and also search for Naruto himself. Damn his injuries!

"Ne, Sakura-chan, I bet Kakashi-sensei won't be here for another hour," said an extremely familiar voice that made Sasuke's heart skip a beat.

"I'll take that bet Naruto," said another familiar voice that only made annoying memories pop up in Sasuke's mind. "If you win, I'll treat you to all the ramen you want for a week. If I win, no ramen for you for a week."

"Done, dattebayo!"

Sasuke couldn't help it. As he walked into the open towards his friends, he let his lips curve upwards and a chuckle escaped his mouth. Sakura and Naruto turned their heads to see who so suddenly laughed and both their eyes went wide when they saw Sasuke there, staggering towards them.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun," Sakura said, like Ino in Sasuke's dream but with less syllables.

Sasuke looked at the two, still smiling, but he was getting weaker by the second for having traveled so far in such a short time and with injuries too. He nearly fell forward, but two strong hands grasped him, two familiar hands that made Sasuke's skin crawl at the touch, yet to feel that touch just made everything better.

"Sasuke-koi," said Naruto softly, calling Sasuke by his old, not-so-well-known petname, eyes brimming with tears of happiness as he set Sasuke on the ground, arms wrapped tightly around the brunet.

"Naruto-koi," Sasuke said in return with a shaky smile. Feeling himself slowly slipping into unconsciousness, Sasuke fought to stay awake for just a little bit longer. "I'm sorry... I can't... wait forever... I'm sorry..."

Naruto chuckled as he hugged Sasuke, burying his face into the brunet's shoulder.

"That's okay Sasuke," Naruto said, voice slightly muffled by Sasuke clothes. "Neither can I... Neither can I."

Sasuke smiled again and he used the last of his remaining strength to hold Naruto's chin, lifting the blond's head, and bring their faces together in a kiss. It was simple and chaste, but sweet and satisfying. Once they broke apart, it was Sasuke's turn to lean against Naruto's shoulder as he closed his eyes and tumbled into that familiar darkness.

Naruto felt Sasuke's body go limp as the brunet fell unconscious, but it was okay. The important thing was, Sasuke was back in his arms.

"Sleep Sasuke," Naruto said, holding Sasuke's limp form close to him as he let the tears of happiness fall from his eyes. "I'll wait for you to wake up, but you know I can't wait forever."

_**::: End :::**_

**I Can Wait Forever by Simple Plan:**

_You look so beautiful today_

_When you're sitting there it's hard for me to look away_

_So I try to find the words that I could say_

_I know distance doesn't matter, but you feel so far away_

_And I can't lie_

_But everytime I leave my heart turns grey_

_And I wanna come back home to see your face tonight_

_'Cuz I just can't take it_

_Another day without you with me_

_Is like a blade that cuts right through me_

_But I can wait, I can wait forever_

_And when you call, my heart stops beating_

_And when you're gone, it won't stop bleeding_

_But I can wait, I can wait forever_

_You look so beautiful today_

_It's like everytime I turn around I see your face_

_The thing I miss the most is waking up next to you_

_When I look into your eyes, man I wish that I could stay_

_And I can't lie_

_But everytime I leave my heart turns grey_

_And I wanna come back home to see your face tonight_

_'Cuz i just can't take it_

_Another day without you with me_

_Is like a blade that cuts right through me_

_But I can wait, I can wait forever_

_And when you call, my heart stops beating_

_And when you're gone, it won't stop bleeding_

_But I can wait, I can wait, I can wait forever_

_I know it feels like forever_

_I guess that's just the price I gotta pay_

_But when I come back home, to feel your touch makes it better_

_Until that day, there's nothing else that I can do_

_And I just can't take it_

_Another day without you with me_

_Is like a blade that cuts right through me_

_But I can wait, I can wait forever_

_And when you call, my heart stops beating_

_And when you're gone, it won't stop bleeding_

_But I can wait, I can wait, I can wait forever_

_I can wait forever_

_I can wait forever_

_I can wait forever_

_I can wait forever_

_I can wait forever_


End file.
